ever after
by Ice of the Kitsune's Fire
Summary: Lisanna likes to take things slowly.


A/N: Set post-Edolas. Unbeta'd.

* * *

It's just a matter of time, Lisanna thinks to herself, for her to get used to all of this again.

Probably the most startling changes are her brother and sister, because in her head, they had always seemed constant and she had been reliant on that. In Edolas, she would dream of returning to her aggressive sister and her timid brother. It had never occurred to her that they would have changed in her time gone from Earthland.

But now she sits in the new and somehow tangibly different Fairy Tail, perched by the bar as her sister smiles sweetly, polishing glasses as their older brother intimidates several younger men by simply glaring at them.

Natsu is boisterous and loud; his hair is wild, a soft salmon pink that somehow manages to look _good_ on him, as if pink were a completely natural hair color to have. It just fits somehow, just like it did when he was young.

Just like when _they_ were young, she corrects herself, and allows a small smile. He hasn't changed. He catches her eye as he recounts a tale to Lucy, grins at the blonde, and then hops from the table to join her by the bar. Behind her, Mirajane hums knowingly to herself and scoots away to give them privacy.

"You seem close," Lisanna smiles, her gaze flickering towards Happy, who has replaced Natsu as a storyteller and earnestly captures Lucy's attention. A small pang of jealousy taps her chest, but she wills it away until it melts to the pit of her stomach and dissolves. She is strong, and she had expected change. There was nothing to be jealous of.

"We are," Natsu says warmly, but his sharp eyes notice how Lisanna lingers on Lucy before looking back at him. "We are," he repeats, but the tone is different now.

Lisanna cocks an eyebrow and lifts her chin high, smiling brightly so as not to worry him, because she knows Natsu better than anyone (at least, she did), and despite all his surface swagger, Natsu is actually a caring individual who would go to the ends of the earth for any of his friends.

She realizes with a start that despite her uncertainty in this new Fairy Tail, she has no doubt at all that Natsu's feelings for her haven't changed: for her too, he would pay any price.

The girl doesn't notice that a silly smile is plastered on her face until Natsu is suddenly closer, close enough so that she can feel his hot breath… and then he pokes her cheek, mirroring her expression. "You look silly," he says, and she catches the emotion in the undertone: relief.

He knows. In his dark eyes she can see herself, clearly reflected- happiness to be home and love for all her friends both new and old, but also uncertainty as to her place in this suddenly different Earthland.

"You look silly too," she replies lightly, and pokes his shoulders (he's gotten so strong, so much more grown up, and it almost saddens her that she's missed everything in between). "But that's okay," she adds teasingly, "because you always look silly."

The dragonslayer flashes his pointed teeth at her happily, and she manages a laugh. Her eyes are closed in her mirth so she's not quite sure, but she thinks for a split second that his warm, calloused fingers brush her cheek, and her face abruptly heats. Lisanna's eyelids flutter open; Natsu is staring at her, his gaze just as strong and confident as it always has been.

She tilts her head, lips threatening to pull upwards at his expression because it's this part of him that she loves most. "Is something the matter?"

Suddenly, it's there again, but this time her eyes are open to witness it- Natsu's hand flashes up to her face and his rough fingers gently caress the edge of her jaw, his eyes uncharacteristically tender before the moment slips away just as quickly as it came; his hand returns to its place by his side and his eyes are once again sparkling and brash.

Lisanna puts a hand to her chest; in it, her heart hammers wildly.

"Lisanna," Natsu chuckles, "Welcome home."

And suddenly, she feels silly for having worried at all, because Natsu is Natsu and she will always hold a place in his heart. Despite any blonde stellar spirit mages or matured siblings, that would always remain the same.

She giggled brightly and replies, "I'm home."

Perhaps it will take time to get used to this, to fill in all of the holes once left behind, but that's okay, because she has all of the time in the world.

It's okay. After all, Lisanna likes to take things slowly.


End file.
